A single candle is never so bright as when it shines alone in the darkness.
It is these singular and somehow powerful acts of kindness that were recognized recently by VARAK – Short for Violence Awareness and Random Acts of Kindness.
VARAK recently announced their student winners, which include Natalie Rodenhiser from Marc-Garneau, Landon Peterson from Nicholson Catholic College, and Leah Abayomi from St. Paul’s Catholic High School.
They also have selected Ken Kerik as Quinte’s 2026 Kindness Citizen of the Year, and it is his story that I found the most compelling for the simple but powerful reason.
Ken’s acts of kindness are very easy to appreciate, because they are so badly needed by hundreds if not thousands of people across the region.
Ken’s neighbours are elderly and recently one of them suffered a significant health setback. When that happened, ken stepped in to help with everything from cutting grass and shoveling snow, to attending regular functions to help this couple live more freely and stay in their family home.
His story is just a prominent example of the role that caregivers like my amazing wife Sarah Daley fill for aging parents, people suffering from dementia, and anyone facing mobility and/or cognitive challenges..
To Ken, Sarah and all these unsung heroes helping people behind the scenes, we see you. I see you. Your efforts are a bright, shining example of the best of the human spirit, a light that keeps the darkness at bay with a warmth far larger than a single vessel can contain.
I’m Paul Martin and that’s what I see looking Beyond the Headlines.
